Bill rips heart out of Emissions Trading Scheme

Polluters can now relax in the
knowledge they won’t have to reduce their carbon emissions
and the taxpayer will continue to pick up the bill, Green
Party climate change spokesperson Kennedy Graham said
today.

The National Government’s Climate Change Response
(Emissions Trading and Other Matters) Amendment, which
maintains subsidies for polluters and defers inclusion of
agriculture indefinitely, passed this afternoon.

“This
government had the chance to make a lasting contribution to
ensure New Zealand did its fair share on climate change,
instead it did the opposite and has bequeathed the next
generation a mess to clean up and handed the taxpayer the
bill,” Dr Graham said.

“The ETS was already weak but
it’s now pointless. With the bare minimum of votes the
Government has gutted the ETS and done nothing to protect
the future for our children.

“The National Government
says the bill is a balancing act. It has a point - New
Zealand’s clean green reputation is teetering on the edge
and the impact on the economy will be felt when it falls.

“The costs of pollution are loaded onto the shoulders
of taxpayers and the National Government is doing nothing to
incentivise clean technologies.

“To add insult to injury
the National Government broke an election promise that any
changes to the ETS would be fiscally neutral as these will
cost between $100m and $300m.

“The National Government
has also failed to announce new binding commitments to
reduce carbon emissions one the Kyoto period finishes at the
end of the year.

“The Government’s sole remaining
policy will be its target of 15 percent in reductions for
2020, and of 50 percent by 2050, but, It has no plan to
achieve
those.”

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